The present invention relates to navigation systems, and more particularly, the present invention relates a navigation system with a feature that enables a user to pay for the navigation system based on usage.
Navigation systems provide various useful features, such as calculating routes to desired destinations, providing guidance for following calculated routes, displaying maps, and so on. There are various kinds of navigation systems that deliver navigation-related and map-related features. One type of navigation system is a standalone navigation system. In a standalone navigation system, all the navigation software applications and geographic data needed to provide navigation-related features to an end user are located on a computing platform located with the end user. In another type of navigation system, the navigation software applications and geographic data are located on a server that is remote from the end user. In this type of navigation system, the end user operates a local device, such as a wireless phone, PDA (xe2x80x9cpersonal digital assistantxe2x80x9d) or dedicated unit, to access the remotely located navigation application software and data. In this type of navigation system, navigation-related features are provided to the end user via a user interface of the local device using the remotely located navigation application software and data. Another type of navigation system is a hybrid type navigation system. In a hybrid type navigation system, some of the navigation software applications or data are installed on the end user""s local device or system and some of the navigation software applications or data are located remotely.
These various types of navigation systems provide useful features to users. There continues to be room for improvements.
To address these and other objectives, the present invention comprises a navigation system that includes a computing platform that has geographic data and navigation applications installed locally. Use of the computing platform is monitored and reported via a wireless communications system to a remotely located facility. The remotely located facility handles billing the end user based on use of the navigation system. The remotely located facility also transmits authorization back to the local computing platform to enable the end user to obtain requested navigation services.